Nuclear power in Italy has made progress. Now it's time to prepare the sector's companies, which according to some studies already number around a hundred but could grow tenfold in a short time, generating a €50 billion boost and employing over 100.000 people. The Senate on September 23rd has approved the bill on the definitive sustainable nuclear, a text that had already been approved by the Chamber and which becomes law.
Many questions arise from this turning after i referendums against in 1987 and 2001, now outdated: according to jurists, in fact the objective framework, i.e. technological development, and the political one have changed and the old referendums do not pose a constraint. Moreover, the new law It defines the legal framework within which individual projects and technologies will be evaluated in the future, but does not authorize the construction of a nuclear power plant or reactor. The government now has twelve months to adopt the implementing decrees, with the Minister of Environment and Energy Security Gilberto Pichetto Frattin which aims to approve them by the end of the year. Then another 24 months will be needed for any corrections. In the meantime, however, the'Italian industry is preparing by putting on the table its already proven international skills.
From 2030/35 to 2050, more than 100.000 workers will be needed and the sector's development will be worth 50 billion.
The development of new nuclear power in Italy aims to install up to 20 plants Small Modular Reactor (SMR)/Advanced Modular Reactor (AMR) – small reactors therefore – which can satisfy approximately 10/15% of demand electricity by 2050. The first plant, according to Pichetto Frattin, could arrive in 2033 or 2034, which will have nothing to do with the power plants closed in the late 80s.
According to one Edison and Teha study this may enable a economic impact overall for the country exceeding 50 billion euros (About 2,5% of the Italian GDP of 2023) by activating up to 117.000 employed direct, indirect and induced from 2030-35 to 2050.
How companies in the sector are organizing themselves
At the end of July Ansaldo Energia, a leader in the sector, had begun to lay the foundations for a development of the Italian nuclear supply chain and enable companies to intercept the opportunities of a global nuclear market, by signing a agreement with the consulting firm RinaThe initiative is aimed in particular at companies that are not currently active in the nuclear sector, but who have industrial skills that may be transferable, to expand and strengthen the national production base, accompanying them through a structured certification and qualification process. "Strengthening the country's industrial capacity is an essential step to enable Italian companies to seize the opportunities of a rapidly growing nuclear market," says Fabrizio Fabbri, CEO of Ansaldo Energia.
The initiative with Rina adds to the recent agreement with Simest, the CDP Group company, as part of the Filiere d'Impatto project, with the aim of promoting new investments to support the competitiveness and growth of Italian companies operating in the supply chain on international markets.
Of a complete mapping he is also dealing with Nuclitalia (the company led by Enel and participated by Ansaldo Energia e Leonardo) which analyses next-generation nuclear technologies: the result will be a comprehensive database of products, services and certifications on the Italian nuclear supply chain.
The push for the Italian supply chain is also hoped for by Stefano Monti, president of theItalian Nuclear Association (AIN). "Italy must not buy a turnkey reactor abroad. It must make the national supply chain work," said Monti. The goal is involve the national industrial supply chain from the very beginning in design, component supply, control systems, engineering services, civil works and subsequent plant management.
Which companies are already in the field?
An spinneret Italian that starts from companies already active on international markets: in addition to Ansaldo also Walter Tosto, Tectubi Raccordi, Atb Riva Calzoni, Siet of Piacenza, Simic, Ibf Group, but also Fincantieri, Danieli, Next Chem of Maire, who recently launched the Next-N company dedicated to high value-added engineering services for nuclear power and has agreements with Edf's Nuward. But the supply chain could extend to hundreds of businesses of mechanics, oil & gas, instrumentation, services, large plants such as Webuild, transforming the return of the atom also into an industrial policy.
Regardless of who it is emigrated abroad to get listed, specifically a Wall Street: like Massimo Morichi with Terra Innovatum or Stefano Buono with New Cleo, landed just this week at Nasdaq, which also works with Aeneas, the national agency for new technologies, energy, and sustainable economic development. The scenarios of the National Integrated Energy and Climate Plan (Pniec) assume a 10-20% share of nuclear power in the electricity mix by 2050.
The Connection with France: The Italian-French Axis Between Edison and its Parent Company Edf
La France It is already a leading player in the Italian sector, given the fact that Italy itself, which until now did not want nuclear power, regularly purchased it from its neighbors. A boost to the Italian supply chain could come fromItalian-French axis between Edison and its parent company Edf. Three years ago they had already tried to break the taboo on nuclear power with a letter of intent for the development of new SMRs (small modular reactors). About ten days ago, the project included ten mini-reactors to be built in Europe, worth several billion, with the first plant in Italy to be built by 2035. The plan has its technological heart in a new proprietary reactor, mostly made in the EU, with the contribution of Italian and French industrial expertise in the design, construction and management of nuclear plants.
